These Four Words
by sharonrainsworth
Summary: They successfully destroyed the Daze, and they wake up in a world as if everything caused by the Daze never existed, to a point. Kano and Kido find each other and have to face conflicting emotions and make difficult choices; Inspired by a song, originally posted on my Tumblr, I can't write summaries to save my life. T for language and small allusions to abuse. Kano/Kido
1. Chapter 1

Her eyes opened to see jet streams dancing across the clear, blue sky above her head, and she let her eyes trace the fading streams. The lowsing-song of birds serenaded the girl as she slowly grew accustomed to reality. Green grass, brighter and livelier in color than her hair, tickled her legs and arms.

She took in a long, deep breath of air, as if she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to breathe air again. _I'm alive. I'm here. I'm out. We made it._ A small smile traced itself along her lips.

She lay there in peaceful silence, absorbing the fact that _they did it._ They made it out. She found both of her sisters. She allowed her eyes to close. She let this reality wash over her, and soak into her skin completely before she dared to move. She didn't want to lose this feeling, she didn't want to lose this reality, this world which moved forward again, this world that continued and moved on. Her world. The world where her Dan lived.

Absentmindedly, her hands reached for her pockets to retrieve her iPod, the iPod she had always turned to for emotional comfort. Her escape, her salvation, her safety. It was filled with hundreds of songs; songs to numb the mind, songs to soothe the mind, songs to distract the mind, and she loved them all.

It wasn't there.

She sat up frantically, confused. A black skirt and white blouse replaced her usual long pants and sweatshirt. Black flats with a red ribbon sat on her feet, and her green hair was tied back with a similar ribbon.

This felt similar, this felt _wrong_.

In a panic, she stood up and padded herself down to reassure herself that she was not set back in time, back to a small girl, back to her abuser; that she was still indeed 16 and she was still indeed herself. That the haze hasn't betrayed her a second time, through false promises. The first time through granting cursed wish, the second time by a horrible attempt to rewind it's sins by sending her back to her terror.

It hasn't. She was still her. She was the Kido Tsubomi that she knew now, not then. The Kido which had hardened and softened through the years, the Kido who had grown.

"Thank you." She whispered to no one in particular.

Suddenly she felt a wave of embarrassment shroud over her, red shading her pale cheeks as she locked her eyes on the grass under her feet. Kano was probably watching, and probably snickering to himself by now. He was probably being strange again, perching over some unassuming object and staring at her with those strange cat eyes. She could never really tell what he thought, whether he was admiring or judging her. But he was always watching, and he was always aware of her.

She resigned herself to letting him get away with his laughter this time because, god damn it, they _made_ it. She would take his antics and laughter any day compared to being lost in that maze of time, or to his death. She would forgive him, and this time, she wanted to wrap her arms around him, and hold him in a hug for a long time. Accepting her resolution, she looked up and turned around, looking around at her surroundings for familiar golden hair and a gleeful grin.

She could not find it. He was not there. But something else was, something else that caught and stole her breath.

Her eyes widened in panic. Terror shook through her bones.

Her mind shut down. All thoughts of Kano, or any of her other friends disappeared from her mind. She knew one thing: She didn't want to be here. She never wanted to be here again. This was _not_ home.

Or rather, it was her old home, her childhood home. The remnants of it. Burnt wood and ashes scattered across the grass contrasted with the bright green. Small objects were still scattered across the ground, parts of her childhood laying in misery. The childhood she never wanted to return to, the childhood she wished she never lived. The ruins mirrored the dark scratches along her heart, along her mind.

This was not her home. It never was.

She ran. She had to get away. She had to find safety.

. . .

The doorknob to the secret hideout was rusty and unlocked. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the metal. Did he really want to go in there? Did he really want to face them, face their faces, face this reality? Would they even want to see him? He wouldn't want to see himself.

_Kido's probably waiting with a punch ready_, he thought with a sad smirk, touching the side of his face with his other hand, his long fingers tracing a scar along his cheek. This scar was much older though, it wasn't from Kido.

The door creaked as he pushed it open, growling at him like it hasn't been moved in years. He braced himself for impact, he told himself that he'd accept whatever it was that his friends had in store, because they were all he had. He accepted that they might turn him away after all he'd done, they might abandon him, and honestly, he couldn't of blamed them. But he had to know.

But the impact that came wasn't what he had prepared for. He dropped the doorknob and let the door creak back and forth behind him as it swayed in the wind.

The secret hideout was barren, gray and dusty. The furniture that they, mostly Seto, had worked hard to buy was gone. Every trace of them ever living there, of them ever existing was gone. Small scraps of paper sat on the ground, and cobwebs dotted the corners. He ran to the kitchen, in some wild hope that Kido would be there cooking as usual, and Seto would be sitting at the chair reading a book to Mary, and they would just tell him that this was a joke - that this time he had been decieved! They really got him!

They hadn't. It was just as empty, it was just as run-down.

He racked his mind for answers that were not there. Had they really won? Had they really gotten their lives back? If this was their new reality, their prize for destroying the haze that had cursed them, then this was a cruel joke. Everything which had been dear to him had been ripped from him, stolen from him again by the Haze. He leaned over the counters, and balled his fists, hanging his head.

He screamed. He cried. He was alone, there was no one here to see him break, and by god, he was breaking. He really had nothing now.

As his energy wore out, he slouched down against the counter, it almost breaking in under his weight, but he didn't care. He rolled his head back and stared at the ceiling, cracking and aging. A centipede crawled across his sneakers, but he didn't care. He woke up in shorts and a t-shirt, mirroring the clothes he wore when he died. He didn't know what happened to his sweatshirt, but honestly, he didn't think he deserved that gift from Ayano at this point.

They lost. He lost. He chuckled to himself, realizing that this was probably what he deserved. He deserved to be left alone, left with nothing and no one, the liar and cheat he was. He didn't deserve his friends. He would probably fade away now, fade to nothing, away. Gone. The last thing that tied him to reality, to himself, was gone. The Dan was gone.

He sat there for a long time, drowning in his own fate.

. . .

Footsteps. The familiar groaning of the door.

His eyes peeled open to reveal a tall, slim figure standing in the shadows. The figure stood static, aside from fabric billowing in the window, in the door to the secret hide-out. He stretched and cracked his neck, as he had fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position. He gave his eyes time to adjust to the dark, he gave them time to make out the figure.

The figure took small, cautious steps forward. It's posture going from something of stoic strength, and dissolved into the behavior of a terrified, abandoned animal. It stood in silence for a long time, and as soon as he started to make out light green hair in the darkness-

"K-Kano? Is that you?" She didn't wait for an answer, and ran straight to him, her arms wrapping around his neck, and her face hiding within it's crook. He took a moment to regain his composure before wrapping his arms around her waist in return.

"Kido?"

"Kano! Kano. I was so afraid. Have you seen anyone else?"

"No." He would of tried to offer a grin, but fortunately, she wasn't looking at him.

"We'll find them. I'm their leader. We'll find them. What happened to the...?"

"It's gone, Kido, it's all gone."

Her dark eyes rose and met with his. He offered a smile as he watched her eyes widen, he noted how they were glistening and dotted with tears. She slowly retrieved her hand and gently traced the scars along his face. "Kano, have these always been here?"

"You-You can see them?"

She sighed, the worry in her face melting into frustration - an emotion he could easily recognize. "Moron, our Eye powers are gone. I couldn't hide myself in this outfit no matter how much I wanted to as I ran here. How long have those scars been there? Were they...?"

"Oh. You're so wise, Leader!" He smiled, stealing a glance at her get-up, and then averted his eyes. "A long time, Kido. No, they're not from you."

"Why would you hide that from us, you idiot? We cared about you!" She smacked him, albeit lighter than usual.

"It doesn't matter, I deserved them." She opened her mouth to retort, but he continued, "I really do. Kido, we lost everything." He laughed to himself. "The Dan is gone. Our make-shift family...it's gone. I think... The haze rewarded us after we destroyed it by returning us to the world where the Dan never existed, where our eyes never existed...or something like that. The world is very funny and very cruel, isn't it, Leader?"

The buds of tears in her eyes grew into matured tears, and rolled down her face. "You fucking moron! You don't deserve to be hurt! You never had to be hurt!" She pounded her fists against his chest, We didn't lose! We had it returned it us, and now we're free! We're free from it all, and we can reunite the Dan, and we can be a real family. And if w-we're safe, then I'm sure everyone else is, too!"

"Leader, you are really funny, too," he gently pushed her back, sliding her hands off his chest. She sat across from her, her legs still tangled in his lap. Sitting up, she was taller than him, and she was most definitely stronger than he could of be. Her gaze bore into him, drilling through his thin existance. "Do not remember what happened in the Haze? Do you not remember what I did before? How I lied to all of you? How I betrayed you? How I hurt everyone..."

"Yes."

"Why would you hug me then?"

"Because I forgive you, you imbecile."

They sat, staring at each other in silence. She seemed larger than life, and powerful. In the dimly lit kitchen, Kido shone by her pure presence. She was more than he could ever hope to have, hope to be, strong despite the obvious shaking in her arms, and nervous twitch to her eyes. Strong despite her fears, despite herself. And he was hurting her again.

She had the strength to face her troubles, to lead others, to ask for assistance. She had the wisdom to see forward, to see hope. She had everything he never did, and never would. Without her eye power, she was completely there in a way she never was before, completely Kido. And he had lost himself to his masks, it had intermingled, and mixed, and formed Kano, formed the Liar that he was. And now, that was gone, and he was left with scraps and pieces of who he was, and he wasn't even sure if he wanted those worn-out, old scraps. Worst of all, he had no way to protect Kido from the truth of who he was now. Having Kido see him like this churned his heart. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

"Thank you, Leader. But I don't deserve your forgiveness." He cupped her face in his hand. "I believe that you can reunite the Dan, if you really wanted to, Kido."

"_Shut the fuck up!_ Stop it!" She smacked him again, "And you're part of the Dan, idiot! I can't just let you leave, you know too much." She smiled at her own joke. "I forgive you because I...I love you."

He stared at her in astonishment, his mouth hanging. He lamented that his Eyes weren't working, because he wish he could show her a confident, smooth reaction. How long had he waited to her those words from her lips? How long had he been hopelessly lovestruck by her, trailing her like a hopeless kitten, pining for any form of attention? She was so mistaken to be in love with such a hopeless boy, a boy much so lesser than her.

_You are so strong, Tsubomi._  
_I don't want to hurt you anymore_.*  
_Don't waste your tears on me now, pretty girl.*_

"I don't love you." He tilted his head to the side, offering his signature grin, and forced his eyes shut. He didn't want to see her reaction, he didn't want to see her heartbreak. He didn't want to know her pain. But he knew that the truth would her hurt her more in the end.

He kissed her forehead, before standing up and leaving her sitting, alone, shaking, and cold. He knew that he had to leave now, because he feared that if he didn't, he might never. He left the abandoned building, the Dan that never was. He left what little he had, left what little he could never have behind. He could hear her loud sobs, echoing her heartbreak, and piercing through what was left of his soul. His silhouette disappeared in the doorway, and his existence faded away.

His last lie. _You're free now, Tsubomi._

. . .

_When I hate myself for letting you go, you can be the one to say,_ 'I told you so.'*

A/N: This fic was inspired because of The Maine's song "These Four Words".

All lines with * are not mine, but from the song. I hold no claim to them.


	2. Chapter 2

_"And suddenly we're all alone in silence,_  
_So I take a step away._  
_I look up to the falling snow_  
_As it makes its home upon my face._  
_Well I wouldn't want to ruin something I couldn't save,_  
_The gap will keep us safe..._

_...I'll apologize to the one's I love  
For leaving them when the sun comes up  
Too bright for me, darkness descends"  
_

. . .

Snow laced the corners of the city, glossing over every inch with an icy layer. Clouds muffled the blue sky, as a chilling breeze forced it's way through. It took a bitter bite of any exposed skin on the streets. The city moved along, nonetheless. It's residents going along with everyday life despite the snow that settled in their hair.

That morning, a dark-haired boy strolled with certainty through the streets, humming a soft tune to himself. His eyes were watching a cell-phone in his hand. He lightly tapped: _I'll be home late tonight - Long, double shift today. Didn't see you up yet when I left. Have a good day!_

The phone beeped "Sent", and he quickly stuffed it in his pocket. He continued to walk, seeming at ease with the morning.

. . .

Her toes were freezing. The blankets had rolled up during the night, and were now bunched up around her torso, keeping her arms warm. The blanket were way too short, and she was way too cold. A yawn escaped her lips as she rolled to the side.

Her bedside clock flickered to 9:13.

She slept in. That damn alarm-clock was supposed to go off two hours ago. She groaned as she pushed herself up to get dressed. Firstly, she had to get socks to make amends for her suffering toes. Then, a black undershirt with a large, dull purple sweater and thick, baggy pants seemed fitting for the current weather. A spot on top of her dresser was reserved for what would be a large sweatshirt that never existed in this reality. Her hand lingered over the spot for a few minutes, nostalgia overcoming for a few moments.

After slinking her way into the small restroom and washing up quickly, she watched her reflection in the mirror with dark, empty eyes. She absentmindedly twirled with her green bangs. Only a few lazy brush strokes saved her hair from being a ratty tousle of bed-head. She shrugged. It didn't matter.

The kitchen was empty. Not even a plate was left out, and the short length of counters was wiped clean. Her cellphone sat alone on the counter, screen bright and forgotten.

She sighed, leaned on the counter, and read the message it received hours ago without responding. "Guess you didn't even eat breakfast this time? Sorry," She said to herself.

The small building they lived in felt cramped and claustrophobic, yet empty and barren at the same time. Silence swept around her ankles, only broken by small creaking of the wooden floors beneath her feet as she made her way to the living room. There was nothing to clean, nothing to cook. Nothing to do. No one to talk to. A lonely emptiness stirred in her gut as she placed headphones over her ears. But, this time, instead of drowning out the world, she intended to drown out herself.

. . .

The day bore on, ordinary and simple. After work, the boy carried a small crate home with him with ease. For his hard work during his extended shift, his manager allowed him to take home the extra, unused goods, since they were doomed to be trashed anyways. He decided to take a detour home through the small in-city park.

The park's green and the snow's white contrast had more aesthetic appeal than the muddying of gray, white, and brown on the city streets. Being in between the trees put the boy at ease. The park lacked many visitors in this time of year and the animals were away for the winter, hiding in the warmth of their den, waiting for sun's heat in the spring. Even though they were silent and out of sight, knowing their peace and patience were heart-warming to him. Animals were always so much easier to understand than people.

Black boots on long legs dangled over a tree in the distance. They swung back and forth in a gentle rhythm. _Could that be...?_ Curiosity spiked. He set down the crate and walked towards the tree as quietly as he could, imprints of his shoes trailing behind him in the snow.

The skinny figure rested with his back against the thick trunk, balancing with ease. A long black coat covered most of the boy seemed lost in thought, playing with a knife between his fingers, his eyes narrowed under messy blonde hair. As he got closer, he could see that his complexion had faded, and his cheeks seemed slightly sunken.

"Kano!" He shouted without hesitation, causing Kano to nearly topple out of the tree.

"-Shit." Muttered the blonde as he quickly regained his composure, and looked down at the tall boy, "Seto?"

"Kano! You're alive, you're here! I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, buddy." Kano's smile was unfaltering and tranquil, despite how the rest of him looked. Without a doubt, he would of given the facade of confidence and happiness everywhere else on his body, too, if he had his Eyes. His knife slid into some forgotten pocket of his jacket as he spoke, "What are you doing here?"

"Taking the long way home," Seto returned the smile briefly, "More importantly, what are you doing here? Where've you been?"

Kano turned his body, perching on the branch over Seto's head. He used his arms as leverage, holding onto the branch as he leaned himself forward. He ignored Seto's inquiry entirely. "How is home, and the Dan?"

Seto sighed, his smile melting into a frown, "The Dan isn't really... together anymore. It's just Kido and myself right now, actually. We couldn't find Mary..." He stared at the ground for a second, the last sentence resting with a sour taste on his tongue. "We have been trying to just make it by right now. I got a job, and recently, so did Kido. I think she wanted to distract herself. She's off today though. "

He crossed his arms, suddenly staring up at Kano. Under the fading sunlight, angry Seto looked very foreboding. He opened his mouth to speak. Fear slid down Kano's spine. _Why did he have to find me? I was only going to stay here for one night..._

Kano slid down off the tree, plotting himself onto the ground in front of Seto and quickly interrupted, words sliding out of his mouth one sentence after another with shaky confidence, "Just you two, eh? All that time together - anything special happen? Hahaha, a _job_. Wow! Hahaha! How has Leader been?"

"Kido? She's really torn up. I'm not sure what you told her or did to her when she found you, and I haven't pressed her about it, but she's really hurt. She's been trying to hide it from me, I know, but there are days when she just kind of snaps, but most of the time she's just kind of a shadow of herself. What did you do, Kano?"

"I just told her that I wasn't going to come back to the Dan," Kano shrugged, "You guys would be better off without me. I got other stuff to do."

"What? I don't get it, Kano, we're your friends. Especially Kido and I, we've been with you since..."

"Just didn't feel right. I'm not the same as you guys are, that's all. I don't really-"

"Kano, you really screwed things up back with the haze, and the lying, but do you really think that running away from your problems is the answer? Shintaro and others might of been pissed, for good reason, but at the end of the day, we're all in this together. I don't get it."

"It's not that. It's just-"

"What is it? What is it that you said to Kido? Why did you hurt us? You know, I didn't need to my eyes to read your feelings about her written all over your face for a long time now. You could hide everything, but you could never hide that. "

"Seto, please-"

Seto rubbed Kano's head, "You know what? You need to talk to Kido more than me. I'll take you to her, she's probably waiting for me to come home. It's getting late, anyways." A tight grip held fast to his arm.

"What- I-"

"Come on," The dark haired boy went back to pick up his crate, dragging a blonde boy along behind him.

. . .

The walk back was empty of conversation, the only noise between the two being Seto's light humming. Kano surprised himself by barely resisting. Maybe he wanted to slightly indulge himself through seeing Kido one last time, before he left. This time for good. The whole city. He was really stupid for staying within the city these past months, thinking that he could hide forever.

The door opened to the building with a small squeak. A light attached to the ceiling flickered above their heads. Seto pulled Kano just through the doorway, before closing it behind him. He then loosened his grip and set down the crate on a stool.

Kano stood quietly, unsure of what to do. In front of him, on a worn couch, lay Kido napping. Her green hair tumbled around her head as she lay on her side, one arm stretched out from underneath her. The only movement was the slow rise and fall of her breath. Her headphones had fallen haphazardly onto the floor and he could hear faint music playing still. She seemed so at peace. A soft smile crawled it's way onto his lips without him noticing.

Soon, Seto knelt down infront of Kido, shaking her gently. "Wake up, Kido. I'm home. Sorry I'm late."

Her eyes slowly peeled open, looking up at Seto. She stretched as she sat up on the couch. "Oh...I guess I slept too much again. Sorry about this morning, I should of made breakfast," she shot him the look of a disappointed mother, "But you really should eaten something yourself. Was work alright?"

"Yeah, it was fine. I brought somethings home," He nodded his head towards the door, towards Kano, who stood as a silent observer, "We have a guest!"

"What? You didn't bring home another pet, did you? I know it's the middle of winter and all but we just don't have enough-" She slowly shook her head, and Seto smiled.

Kano watched Kido adjust herself. He watched her previous gentle demeanor dissolve as his presence registered. The softness of her eyes hardened into a shell, hiding any recognizable emotions. Her hands curled up into a fist on her lap. Her lips parted, searching for words she could not find, "...Wh-Wha...?"

"Hey Leader! Long time, no see!" He rubbed the back of his head, smiling.

"What...are you..."

Her whole body jerked away to face Seto in one long sloppy motion, "What is he doing here?!" But she was only met with an innocent shrug.

"Is it so wrong to just pay a visit? Maybe I wanted to see your loving face again~"

"Shut up!" She scrambled up onto her feet, standing directly across the room from him. Her whole body trembled underneath her, her fists quivering at her sides. "What gives you the right to just _pay a visit_?"

"Actually-" He searched for something, anything to calm her down. Really, what was he doing here?

"I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear any of it!" He felt her gaze drill holes in his heart. She stared at him with something more sinister than the frustration and anger he had seen for all those years before. He knew what to do with those emotions. But, she looked at him with hatred, she looked at him with heartbreak, she looked at him with the reverberation of betrayal. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Everything he never wanted to see. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want this. He could never make her happy, he could only hurt her. Like this.

"I-I could of dealt with you not returning my feelings. It was really...dumb of me to think that you could ever...think of me...like that. But- but you abandoned me. You left me in the cold, you left me in the dark. You didn't even say good-bye, you just left. Y-you left me! You left us! You are so fucking idiotic! So selfish! How could I ever reunite the Dan - wherever they are - if I could not even hold onto one of the original members? I couldn't even hold onto my best friend."

This was worse than any punch she had ever given him.

"And what makes you think you can just waltz in here, like nothing ever happened? Like you didn't just abandon us for so long? You are fucking impossible. I- I can't. Deal. With. This. Right. Now."

"Leader, please," but he wasn't really sure what to say. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Seto had faded into the back the room; this was not his conversation to take part in, "I didn't want to hurt you-"

"Really? Are you kidding me?" She moved forward, thrusting a fist near his face. But something held her back, something tugged inside of her. She couldn't punch him - she didn't feel comfortable enough around him right now to punch him. Her hand hovered in front of his face like a harsh reminder. In another reality, she would of just punched him, and he would of flinched in pain, before laughing it off. In another reality, she wouldn't be so hurt, and she wouldn't have to face the broken pieces of a boy who could no longer hide.

The two stood there in uncomfortable silence.

"Leader, I'm sorry. I- I shouldn't of come. You're right. You're always so right, so much smarter than me." He laughed nervously, "I'm always such an idiot, aren't I? I should really just go. This isn't good for you..." His hand reached for the doorknob behind him.

"Shut up."

"What do you want from me right now? What can I do to make this easier for you?"

"I don't know. Just shut up." She lowered her fist, but not her gaze. She was so close to him, but she felt very, very far.

. . .

He sat on the couch, his arms resting on his legs. The weak cushioning sunk under his weight. His head hung slightly, watching Kido from the corner of his eyes. She paced back and forth in silence for a long time, conflicting emotions and intentions swarming around inside of her.

"I want answers. That's what I want. I want answers."

The flickering light above his head seemed to focus on him as if he was in some police interrogation.

"I can't really give you that, I'm sorry, Leader."

"No. Where have you been? What were you planning on accomplishing by leaving?"

"I stayed along the outskirts of the city, but I was planning on leaving the city once and for all once the weather cleared up, and then Seto found me by chance. I was planning on making things easier for you without me causing you pain, Leader."

_I was planning on disappearing. I was planning on fading away, letting my existence crumble. I planning on giving you a peaceful life without me, a life where you didn't have regrets for the scraps of stupid boy like me. A boy who wasn't even himself, a boy who didn't even know how much of himself was left. A life where you could live easily, meet someone who you could trust, someone who cared for you, someone who did the right things. If I told you I didn't love you, what left of me did you have to hold onto? I wanted to be gone. I wanted to erase my sins by erasing myself. I wanted you to be happy in a way I could never offer you._

_I hoped that me leaving you, me hurting you like that would help you realize that you didn't need me, and that I'd only cause you pain. I had hoped..._

"Stop calling me Leader, you left the Dan. What makes me your leader anymore?_"_

"You'll always be my leader, Kido. It's all for you."

"Stop fucking around with my emotions."

"I'm sorry." His mouth felt dry. He had nothing he could really say, nothing to offer her.

"If you can't answer me why in a way that makes sense. Then, give me this: Don't leave again. Stay with me and Seto." She leaned forward. He could still see the tears decorating her cheeks, despite her attempts to wipe them away.

"Why would you want that?"

"I'm not the one being questioned!" She snapped, before shifting her gaze away from Kano, "Because I forgive you, I-I can't help but forgive you. Even if you don't l-love me, you're still my best friend. You still-You still saved me when I was running from myself when I was younger-

-Just because those years that we had with our Eyes hadn't never happened in this reality, and the Dan was never started, doesn't mean it never existed. It doesn't mean it wasn't significant. It mattered! We matter!" She almost seemed to be trying to convince herself, rather than convincing him, "I don't want to lose you again."

And this was why he left so quickly back then. He knew that if he saw her like this, he wouldn't be able to leave. He would be too selfish to leave.

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her as she let out muffled sobs. She covered her face with her hands, leaning down into his chest.

"I really hate you sometimes." She said between sobs.

"I know." _Me too_.

. . .

The cries dissipated over time. And she slowly lifted her head to face him. Her hair was a mess, her eyes puffy and red, and her hands curled in on themselves. Her lips held the ghost of a scowl.

"I didn't mean to cry. I just-"

"It's okay. It's really my fault, isn't it? Besides, it's kind of nice to see Leader showing a side she usually hides, heh~"

"Hmphhhh. So, you'll stay?"

"If that's what you really want~" He smiled uneasily and released one of his hands from around her to pusd some of her bangs behind her ear, "You know, you are really stunning when I can see your whole face."

She stomped on his foot. Red shaded her cheeks. Pain shot through him, forcing him to let go of her.

"I thought you said you didn't care about me like that! I said, stop messing with my emotions, you moron!"

He grinned. This felt familiar. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for confusing you," He leaned close to her, their noses a thread away from touching, "But I really am a liar at heart."

He didn't really get how she could care for him still, or how she wanted him to stay despite all the trouble he caused. He didn't really understand why she wanted him to continue to cause her pain like this. But, she was always so much wiser than him. Maybe this time, he'll indulge her painful wish and his selfish desires. What was left of his heart couldn't bare to leave her again, knowing the turmoil it caused her before.

He closed his eyes and kissed her. He pulled her closer to him around her waist. _I don't want to lose you either. I was willing to do it before for you. But I don't think I can do it again. _

"I can never apologize enough, Kido, you don't deserve any of this. I love you, too."

"_Shut up._" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Seto smiled from the other room.

A/N: The lyrics at the beginning (i.e.

"_And suddenly we're all alone in silence,_  
_So I take a step away._  
_I look up to the falling snow_  
_As it makes its home upon my face._  
_Well I wouldn't want to ruin something I couldn't save,_  
_The gap will keep us safe..._

_...I'll apologize to the one's I love  
For leaving them when the sun comes up  
Too bright for me, darkness descends_")

ARE NOT MINE. They are from Laura Marling's Darkness Descends.


End file.
